Autism Prevalence Rates Increase…you’ve got to be kidding

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of autism in children has recently INCREASED to 1 in 68 children…a 30% increase since the last report in 2008.

1 in 68 is children..not boys. If the report was for boys only, I can only imagine what the number would be.

This is so disheartening as a parent with a child with autism. Early Intervention is so important to us and a significant part of our book “Look At My Eyes” and our speaking engagements. And the numbers keep getting smaller and smaller. It feels like we’re running a marathon in sand….deep, wet, slooooooow sand.

The CDC report goes on to say how a person with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) can cost as much as $3.2 Million over their lifetime to take care of.

1 in 68 and what is our society doing? What is our government doing? What is our local government doing? What are our schools, churches, community groups doing?

We MUST come up with a plan to educate, train, teach these 1 in 68 children! We MUST have outlets and avenues for helping these 1 in 68 children live as independently as possible. We MUST have opportunities for these 1 in 68 children to learn a trade or skill where they can work and pay taxes and be productive members of society.

I don’t have $3.2 Million to spend on my son. I refuse to believe that he is merely a statistic and property of our government. We MUST start the discussion NOW as to how we are going to help make these 1 in 68 children as successful in life as possible.